Valencia begins joint administration of flu jab and second booster against COVID-19
Double immunization begins by prioritizing people over 70 years of age and women who are pregnant or have just given birth
Monday 17th October 2022 · Mike Smith
Source: GVA Sanitat
The Ministry of Universal Health and Public Health of the Generalitat Valenciana has begun today Monday 17th October, the immunization campaign that will administer simultaneously, the flu vaccine and the second booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine for all the population in the region for whom dual immunization is indicated.
“We continue to protect the most vulnerable groups in the autumn both against the flu and against COVID”, explained the regional health secretary, Miguel Mínguez. “With joint vaccination we facilitate access to double immunization and avoid inconveniences such as having to travel several times to get vaccinated.”
“It is important to remember that immunization is the best protection against the flu and coronavirus”, he added. “Given a possible normalization of the circulation of the flu virus this winter and the foreseeable increase in cases of coronavirus, we cannot forget that vaccines continue to save lives.”
The flu vaccination campaign, for which 1,285,000 doses are planned, is aimed, as in previous years, at people over 65, pregnant women or those who have just given birth or people who are at risk to suffer complications if they become infected. This group includes minors and adults with chronic cardiovascular, neurological or respiratory diseases, as well as people with diabetes mellitus, morbid obesity, neoplasms, cochlear implants, celiac disease or chronic inflammatory disease, among others. The flu vaccine will also be administered to health and socio-health personnel as well as essential public service workers.
It is planned to allocate 1,285,000 doses of tetravalent vaccine, a formulation designed to offer protection against four different types of influenza virus: two type A and two type B.
In accordance to the Vaccination Recommendations against COVID-19 for autumn in Spain published by the Ministry of Health, the second booster dose will be offered to the adult population aged 60 and over, people with risk conditions, interns in residences for the elderly or people with functional disabilities and to health and socio-health personnel who work in primary care, hospital centres and residences for the elderly or care for the disabled.
In this case, the doses that are administered are bivalent mRNA vaccines, which generate protection against omicron subvariants of the COVID-19 virus, including BA.4 and BA.5, as well as against other variants that previously been in circulatation.
Over 70 years and pregnant
All you have to do is make an appointment at the health centres to receive the flu vaccine and the second booster dose against COVID. Adults over 70 and women who are pregnant or have just given birth and have not been vaccinated will receive a phone call or an SMS message in the coming weeks to invite them to stop by the health centre to receive the vaccine.
In this first phase, vaccination will also be completed for people who live in residences for the elderly or people with functional diversity, as well as the workers of these centres and the health and socio-health personnel. As the vaccination against COVID of these groups began on September 26th, all of them will receive only the flu vaccine, except if they do not have the coronavirus.
After the first days of the campaign, in which priority will be given to those over 70 years of age, it will continue with people between 65 and 69 years of age, and with those who, regardless of their age, suffer from risk pathologies.
Immunization will also be joint (influenza vaccine and COVID vaccine, one in each arm) and will be carried out in health centres. Those who are interested and qualify to receive these jabs will have to make an appointment at her health centre.
Essential Services
Workers in essential services (state security forces and bodies, firefighters, civil protection, emergency health workers, prison staff) will receive the flu vaccine at their workplaces.
Original Article: Sanidad inicia este lunes la administración conjunta de la vacuna antigripal y la segunda dosis de recuerdo frente a la COVID-19
